Facebook suspends controversial data firm Cambridge Analytica

Most UK consumers say Facebook should be regulated

https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252458428/Most-UK-consumers-say-Facebook-should-be-regulated

 

"Revealed: Facebook’s global lobbying against data privacy laws

Social network targeted legislators around the world, promising or threatening to withhold investment

Facebook has targeted politicians around the world – including the former UK chancellor, George Osborne – promising investments and incentives while seeking to pressure them into lobbying on Facebook’s behalf against data privacy legislation, an explosive new leak of internal Facebook documents has revealed.

The documents, which have been seen by the Observer and Computer Weekly, reveal a secretive global lobbying operation targeting hundreds of legislators and regulators in an attempt to procure influence across the world, including in the UK, US, Canada, India, Vietnam, Argentina, Brazil, Malaysia and all 28 states of the EU. The documents include details of how Facebook:

Lobbied politicians across Europe in a strategic operation to head off “overly restrictive” GDPR legislation...

Threatened to withhold investment from countries unless they supported or passed Facebook-friendly laws..."

https://www.theguardian.com/technol...campaign-against-data-privacy-laws-investment

https://www.computerweekly.com/news...e-Osborne-to-influence-EU-data-protection-law

 

"Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg says he’ll reorient the company toward encryption and privacy

The firm’s focus will shift from a social network in which people broadcast information to large groups of people to one in which people communicate with smaller groups and their content disappears after a short period.

Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg announced sweeping changes to Facebook’s services on Wednesday, saying in a blog post that he would spend the next several years reorienting the company’s apps toward encryption and privacy..."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/tech...ds-encryption-privacy/?utm_term=.500e04925a5a

Zuckerberg's Statement:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/mark...sion-for-social-networking/10156700570096634/

 

"Facebook’s Data Deals Are Under Criminal Investigation

Federal prosecutors are conducting a criminal investigation into data deals Facebook struck with some of the world’s largest technology companies, intensifying scrutiny of the social media giant’s business practices as it seeks to rebound from a year of scandal and setbacks.

A grand jury in New York has subpoenaed records from at least two prominent makers of smartphones and other devices, according to two people who were familiar with the requests and insisted on anonymity to discuss confidential legal matters. Both companies had entered into partnerships with Facebook, gaining broad access to the personal information of hundreds of millions of its users.

The companies were among more than 150 firms, including Amazon, Apple, Microsoft and Sony, that had cut sharing deals with the world’s dominant social media platform. The agreements, previously reported in The New York Times, let the companies see users’ friends, contact information and other data, sometimes without consent. Facebook has phased out most of the partnerships over the past two years..."

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/13/technology/facebook-data-subpoenas.html

 

Mark Zuckerberg’s top lieutenant Chris Cox is leaving Facebook
March 14, 2019
https://qz.com/1573759/mark-zuckerbergs-first-lieutenant-chris-cox-is-leaving-facebook/

 

How Cambridge Analytica Sparked the Great Privacy Awakening
March 17, 2019
https://www.wired.com/story/cambridge-analytica-facebook-privacy-awakening/

 

Cambridge Analytica a year on: ‘a lesson in institutional failure’
March 17, 2019
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...on-in-institutional-failure-christopher-wylie

 

"Facebook sets aside billions of dollars for a potential FTC fine

Facebook on Wednesday said it would set aside $3 billion dollars to cover costs in its ongoing investigation with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission over the social media company’s privacy practices, as its recent scandals take a toll on its balance sheet in a big way.

That number, which the company said could ultimately range between three and five billion, correlates with the size of the fine the agency is expected to levy against the tech giant and would be represent the largest the FTC has ever imposed..."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/tech...rs-potential-ftc-fine/?utm_term=.78cfbd64bb20

 

Facebook violated Canadian privacy laws by sharing data with Cambridge Analytica, an investigation has found

"Canada accuses Facebook of breaking local privacy law, threatening to take company to court

Canadian regulators on Thursday found that Facebook committed "serious" breaches of local laws over its mishandling of users' personal information, announcing they would take the company to court to force it to change its privacy practices..."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/tech...ng-take-company-court/?utm_term=.3b8b0a7d60e2

 

Facebook's huge earnings are a reminder it has no competition
Despite a huge potential fine from the US government, there's seemingly nothing that can stop Mark Zuckerberg
April 25, 2019
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/facebook-earnings-ftc-fine

 

"Facebook to ban certain apps in response to Cambridge Analytica

Facebook is cracking down on third-party apps on its platform, announcing Thursday that it will no longer allow programs like the one that enabled political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica to obtain the information of millions of users without their consent.

The company said in a blog post that it will no longer allow apps with “minimal utility,” like personality quizzes, and will no longer allow apps to 'ask for data that doesn't enrich the in-app, user experience.'...

...Facebook said it will revoke app developers' access to certain user permissions that they have not "used or access" in the past 90 days..."

https://thehill.com/policy/technolo...ow-certain-apps-following-cambridge-analytica

 

Turkish watchdog says it fines Facebook $271,000 for data breach
May 10, 2019
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...facebook-271000-for-data-breach-idUSKCN1SG1J6

 

Facebook sues analytics firm Rankwave over data misuse
May 10, 2019
https://techcrunch.com/2019/05/10/facebook-rankwave-lawsuit/

 

Facebook has struggled to hire talent since the Cambridge Analytica scandal, according to recruiters who worked there
May 16, 2019
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/16/fac...ecruit-since-cambridge-analytica-scandal.html

 

U.S. judge orders Facebook to turn over data privacy records
May 31, 2019
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...-turn-over-data-privacy-records-idUSKCN1T120F

 

"Facebook lawyer says users ‘have no expectation of privacy’

A lawyer for Facebook argued in court Wednesday that the social media site’s users “have no expectation of privacy.”

According to Law360, Facebook attorney Orin Snyder made the comment while defending the company against a class-action lawsuit over the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

'There is no invasion of privacy at all, because there is no privacy,' Snyder said.

In an attempt to have the lawsuit thrown out, Snyder further claimed that Facebook was nothing more than a “digital town square” where users voluntarily give up their private information..."

https://www.dailydot.com/debug/facebook-lawyer-no-expectation-of-privacy/

 

So the dog and pony show continues. Nobody should stop being amazed at the flip flopping doublespeak, for to capitulate to this lying nonsense is to give into it.

 

Italy stings Facebook with $1.1M fine for Cambridge Analytica data misuse
June 28, 2019
https://techcrunch.com/2019/06/28/i...-1m-fine-for-cambridge-analytica-data-misuse/